London Has Your Eyes

Chapter 70. Daniel

I open my eyes and listen. It's quiet in the room, only humming voices coming from behind the door. I guess Alex went for a drive and didn't wake me up. My head hurts, I shouldn't have drank so much. The club, Alex, Kaitlin, our conversation, the kissing. Shit, I shouldn't have gone up to her room. It's a good thing Alex doesn't know anything. She wouldn't forgive, I know.

I reach for the phone to check the time. 17 missed calls, wow. And Liam, and Tyler, and Soph, a lot of Soph, and not a single call from Alex.

I dial Liam, still lying in bed.

- Are you still alive in there? - My friend answers after the first ring. - What happened there with the old lady? Did you break up?

- No, of course not. It's all right, - I'm puzzled.

- Yeah, yeah, tell me. Then how did Kaitlin end up on top of you? - The morning nap was lifted like a hand.

- How did you know about Kaitlin? - I'm amazed that Liam, being in London, found out about me and Kaitlin.

- Dude, the whole world already knows about you and Kaitlin. Sleeping with her live - it was too much...

- What?! WHAT???? What do you mean?! - I abruptly jump out of bed with phone in hand and go to look around the room. Alex's stuff is nowhere to be found. None.

- Kaitlin had a live stream in her profile yesterday, apparently from her room. We were shocked, to be honest, from homemade porn. What happened in there?

It's like my lungs have run out of air. That bitch fucked me again. Shit, Alex must have seen that video, too. Shit!

- What's in the video? Specific! - I'm screaming.

- It's from behind her back. Your face is clearly visible. She's rubbing on your knees and then you do a flip-flop and there she is, spreading her legs right under you.

- Fucking Kaitlin!!!! - I'm screaming, how could I fuck this up? - I have to run, I'll call you back. I need to find Alex. And very urgently!

I quickly brush my teeth and pull on my trousers and hoodie, not stopping to dial Alex's number. She's out of range. And so is Max. I get a long voicemail from him, by the way, with threats, shouting, he was wildly angry, and I don't blame him.

I go down to the floor and knock loudly on room 317. I hear some rustling behind the door.

- Open the door now, you lying bitch! Now! - I desperately kick the door with my foot. - I'm going to kick the bloody door down!

The door swings open abruptly and a mustachioed man of about 50 years old appears in front of me. He stares at me in surprise for a couple of minutes and then says:

- Have you forgotten something? Why are you pounding on my room?

- Where's Kaitlin? - I ask, looking behind his back. The man notices and blocks my view with his broad shoulders.

- There is no Kaitlin here. It's just me and my wife. We ain't even checked in yet, and here you are. No idea where your girl is.

At that word, he slams the door in front of my nose. I walk down the hall to Max's room, no one answers. Then I pull my hood lower and go down to reception. Room 324 was released 3 hours ago, the receptionist tells me.

I lean on the counter to catch my breath. Damn, how badly I screwed up. I go up to the room and sit down in the middle of the bed, grabbing my hands over my head. I suddenly realise, finally, that Alex has left me. And she's never coming back to me again. No more hearing her laugh, no more touching her skin, no more her telling me in my ear that she loves me. No more of her jokes. She. Won't be. Around. Any more.